Weirdo (Steven Grant)

Chapter 65

"Harrow." Marc said.

"You see why we have to go back? That's Lana's dad doing that."

"Even if I could send you back up there, you'd just be returning to a body with a bullet in it. You wouldn't be able to heal."

Steven had an idea, a brilliant one.

"Can you send word to Layla and Lana? Please. Help us free Khonshu." Steven said while Marc just looked at him.

"Steven-" he tried to protest before being interrupted by Taweret.

"Are you sure you want to be with Khonshu again? Seems like you really want to get away from him. Don't blame you."

Taweret looked at Steven and Marc before he spoke.

"I did, but this is our only shot. It's the way it's gotta be."

"Please, Taweret, you have to help us. Please."

"What the heck? Osiris is not going to like this, but his gate is the only path back." She grunted as she turned the boat.

Steven and Marc tumbled towards the edge before fixing themselves.

"Get back inside! You don't have long. Get those scales balanced." She said, panting out of breath as she continued to turn the boat towards Osiris's gates.

They headed inside to fix the scales.

"There was that bedroom that you didn't want me to go into. That's it. That's where we'll go."

"Just a second. Just wait a second. Just give me a second here. Okay? Um, look, we don't have to go back through it all again. We can just talk. Let's just talk. Right here, right now. I'll tell you..I'll tell you everything. Okay?"

He didn't wanna see it again, he didn't wanna remember it.

"I'm just begging you. Don't make us go there again. It's not worth it."

"Not worth it? Not worth it? Marc, you're about it lose everything. Do you understand? If we don't go back and Harrow succeeds and all those people die... if Layla and Lana dies, that's on your head. "

Then Marc heard the words that rung in his ear, and stung his heart, the 5 words cut him deeply, the words he wished to never hear again.

"It'll be all your fault."

"This is your fault!"

"No, no, no! You can't! I won't do it! I won't do it! You can't make me! You can't make me!" He hit himself, as if the words wouldn't hurt anymore if he did, as if all his trauma would disappear in thin air.

Then he wasn't in the hospital hallway anymore, rather back in Dr. Harrows office again.

"Marc, Marc, Marc." Arthur grabbed his shoulder, trying to get him to stop hitting himself.

"Stop it. Stop it." Arthur said, and he noticed he wasn't in the hallway anymore, and calmed down ever so slightly.

He breathed heavily as he turned his head to see Arthur:

He touched his neck in confusion.

"Did you inject me with something?"

"You watch too many movies, all right?" He chuckled as he stood up and walked back behind his desk.

"We can't involuntary sedate patients. Not these days, huh? I mean, not unless absolutely necessary. "

Arthur stood up to get something  to drink, Marc pinched his nose to see if the injury was still there, it wasn't to his surprise.

"Oh, Marc. What you've been doing is so difficult. I'm so proud of you. Reliving these kind of traumatic memories can be so painful. They look and feel so real. And you have been at it for hours. Great work."

"It's really.. you've been peering inward, Lana says that you've been improving." He smiled at Marc.

"Looking deeply into all the moments that Make you, you. Here. Come on. Take it." Arthur said, giving the cup of water to him as he grabbed it from his hands.

"Yeah I'm so proud of you, Marc."

Marc wished that he had heard that form someone else, Maybe Lana or Layla, maybe his Mom, his dad. He hasn't heard it A lot.

But there was one time of course, Lana.

"Now just stay with me for a second, okay? I want you to consider this." Arthur said as Marc stared at his reflection in the water.

"Do you think you created Steven to hide from all the awful things you feel you've done in your life, or do you think Steven created Marc to punish the world for what your mother did to you?"

Marc stared at Arthur, deep in thought.

"Do you know? Can you remember? There's only one way to know. You're gonna have to open up to Steven. There can be no progress without understanding. Can you do that? Can you open up the Steven?"

Marc stared down at his reflection again.